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Comment by polygamous_bat | Hacker News Reader

> Most small businesses would simply go under if they had to do that for 50-100 people.

If you can't pay your employees market wage, why do you deserve to stay in business? Do restaurants ever expect to underpay their tomato suppliers using the same logic?

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You deserve to stay in business when you are a legal business entity that is following all the laws and regulations. Giving everyone a raise is not required by law. It is not a realistic strategy to get out of this inflationary environment - that's my view.

> You deserve to stay in business when you are a legal business entity that is following all the laws and regulations.

You also need to be making a profit though, or at least break even after all costs are accounted for. Otherwise you will run out of money. In our current economic model, a company that is too inefficient to compete in the market does not deserve to stay in business.

There isn't a conspiracy against hiring people who are going to make you money. Anyone who adds value to a company and is going to generate more revenue than their labor cost is likely going to be hired over someone who does not.

> Giving everyone a raise is not required by law.

Maybe it should be. Even if only to match inflation. Salary actually decreases over time if you don't receive raises. $100k/y today might be equal to $110k/y next year.

You can type that comment, but perhaps if you were in someone else's shoes you'd have a different opinion.

Imagine the entitlement required to think that filling out a few forms and paying a fee (all that is required to own a business) should entitle you to take advantage of people for your own gain.

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